max tracks

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 12:45
ThreadID: 84318 Views:7237 Replies:13 FollowUps:15
This Thread has been Archived
Hi all,
I am thinking of purchasing a set of max tracks as a bit of a safety backup before the end of the wet season (i live in the N.T.).
has anyone out there used them at all ??? are they a useful item to get you out of sticky situations (i don't expect them to replace winches etc, but more for minor bogs in sand/mud patches).
Any feedback would be grateful before i go ahead and get a set.
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 13:01

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 13:01
I think they are OK. TheMaxtrax are light enough to be used as shovels and they incorporate carry handles.

Another product that may be worth consideration however is Gratemates.

These are heavier than Maxtrax at 10kg but have the advantage of being able to be used as bridging ladders as well. They are also cheaper, at $245 against the Maxtrax $295.

Either set would be a worthwhile investment though.
Having bogged myself on a beach and forking out $250 to be pulled out, either of these products may well have done the job, saved me money and I would still have them.

I will be purchasing a set in the near future, but at present like the idea of the Gratemates.
I am hoping I can check both out visually at the upcoming Adelaide Caravan and Camping show.


Bill.


Bill


I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 445286

Follow Up By: PradoMad - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:22

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:22
just had a look at those gratemates. Very interesting and more versatile; thinking of getting one for my upcoming birthday. Thanks for that.
JS
0
FollowupID: 717557

Follow Up By: Shaker - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 19:00

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 19:00
Gratemates looks very like Enviro-walk GRP grating. I wonder if it would be a lot cheaper to buy it that way?
0
FollowupID: 717580

Follow Up By: Member - John C (INT) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 20:43

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 20:43
The Driver training Unit of the SAAFWDC will have demo's at the show that will include maxtrax. John C
0
FollowupID: 717593

Follow Up By: Member - Phil B (WA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 23:06

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 23:06
Hi all,

Grate mates or equivalent are okay in all situations except mud where they are hopeless.

You just can't get traction, the holes fill with mud, it then weighs a ton when you try and move it , then were do you put it - when its jammed up with all that mud - when you're out. I speak experience of four days of hopelessly being bogged in Rudall River NP with a set of these.

MaxTracks are easier to clean and use and give superior grip in mud.

ATB


There is a lot of difference between
‘Human Being’ and ‘Being Human’.





Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717614

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 07:28

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 07:28
Hey, very good point Phil.

You may have just swayed me the other way, as I have no "known" need for bridging ladders.


Bill.
Bill


I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717634

Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 13:58

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 13:58
Ours haven't been used in mud, and they recommend two pairs, however we purchased one pair and they proved their worth once. With 7½ tonne over eight wheels down in the loose stones at Carawine Gorge, digging was difficult and even with all tyres down we kept sinking when trying to move. Our new MaxTrax came out and saved the day - then used for the next caravan who, seeing us out on the stones thought is was safe to drive there too O: O: Worth their weight in gold.
Hint: Put a coloured rope on them and a float, as when you go over them, they get buried and could be hard to find in the mud.

Motherhen
Motherhen

Red desert dreaming

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 445290

Reply By: Member - Craig F (WA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 14:09

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 14:09
If by yourself they can save a lot of time as your other option is a winch. If on the beach it usually means digging in the spare.
I have used mine to prop up the low side of my car after getting into a dangerous position whilst driving up a dune.
Paid for themselves well and truly.
Word of precaution dont spin your tyres on them as it will melt the plastic.
Mine are now two yrs old and like new after being used about 10 times and constantly mounted on my roof rack..

Cheers Craig
AnswerID: 445292

Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 14:30

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 14:30
Hi Dawg13

Like any piece of recovery equipment, they are not cheap and you hope that you never have to try them out. I have some and we never head bush without them.

Yes they do work, but like all things, some conditions can be more trying than other. In the picture, the car was stuck like the proverbial and I could not get any traction forward, but the moment that I swapped them to the back, I had slow progress backwards. We were travelling solo and they were a god send.

After more than an hour of slow backwards progress, another vehicle came out and snatched me out.

At the end of the day, they did what they were ment to do and if that other vehicle did not come along, I would have got out, but it would have taken nearly all day....better than staying where we went down.


Cheers

Stephen
Image Could Not Be Found
Smile like a Crocodile

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 445293

Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:04

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:04
Hi Stephen, was that on your trip of the Simpson last year?????


Simba, our much missed baby.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717556

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:23

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:23
Hi Deanna

Spot on, when we did the Simpson after doing the Anne Beadell.

Oh that lovely mud!!!!

Give me sand any day.

Cheers

Stephen
Smile like a Crocodile

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717558

Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:45

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:45
Yukkk, Stephen. I don't mind sand but that mud!!! A winch would have been difficult in that situation too.

Cheers
Allan

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Classifieds: FREE BOOKS

0
FollowupID: 717560

Follow Up By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:46

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:46
We thought it looked familiar, we saw the result of where you were bogged, was a bit firmer when we went across but still would have gone down if we hadn't stayed on those firmer tracks. It's all good fun.
Cheers
Deannna



Simba, our much missed baby.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717561

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:57

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:57
Hi Allan and Deanna

Allan, that was taken 4 days after we met you at Oodnadatta. I should have known better, but was told by a group we met 2 dunes before Lake Poeppel that it should have been OK. The biggest problem was that were were sucked right into the mud, and prior coming to a complete stop, my diff was leaving a 4" grove in the mud. You learn by your mistakes and that will be one mistake that I will not fall into again.

Deanna

We were very lucky, as within 2 days of getting out and making it into Birdsville, the desert was dumped again with another 3" of rain and the desert was locked down for 5 days. The joys of all that rain out there. I like a good number of EO members became victims of the Simpson mud last year and it would be very interesting to see just how many there were.


Cheers

Stephen
Smile like a Crocodile

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717564

Follow Up By: Tonyfish#58 - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 17:48

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 17:48
Allan B - "A winch would have been difficult in that situation too".

Image Could Not Be Found

Image Could Not Be Found

Image Could Not Be Found


Yes but do-able :-)

Cheers Tony
0
FollowupID: 717573

Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:55

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:55
Stephen, we wanted to come home via The Simpson after the Beadell trip too but it was not possible, maybe fortunately! We finished up going right up to Tennant Creek and the Barkly etc. I'll tell you more in a MM.

Cheers
Allan

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Classifieds: FREE BOOKS

0
FollowupID: 717577

Follow Up By: muffin man - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 16:37

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 16:37
Jesus pal you got youself in a bit of a pickle there. I would've thought a lake like that would've had a detour around it. Good thing someone was there to get you out.
Muffin Man
0
FollowupID: 717676

Follow Up By: Crackles - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 17:59

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 17:59
"I would've thought a lake like that would've had a detour around it."
They do have detours around them Muffin, it's just you have the choice of the 5 to 20 KM long way around track or take a chance on 500m of mud. Once one car makes it of course everyone thinks they can too but who's to say the first guy didn't have 35" mud tyres let down to 8 PSI with a thumping V8 pushing them :-)
Cheers Craig................
0
FollowupID: 717685

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 19:07

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 19:07
Hi Muffin man

We have been across Lake Poeppel many times, and a few times looking far worse that it did that time. Two dunes before reaching the lake, we met a group of 4 vehicles, and as you do we had a quick chat. I asked about the condition of the crossing, knowing that there was a detour track available.

Weather it was because we were travelling solo and they wanted a bit of fun with us, we will never know, but they said the lake was no problems and to head straight through. When I mentioned the detour, they said not to use it.

Once we were about 500 metres into the crossing I knew that it was the biggest mistake and well we did make it around another 200 metres and then it was out with the MaxTrax.

Like I said above, I was making slow progress backwards, the length of the actual Maxtrax and would then sink down again. The longest part was trying to grab the actual MaxTrax out of the mud under the car, as they would sink down will over 8" into the mud and that was a job in itself to get them out.

With our rate of recovery, it have taken all the rest of that day, or even into the next, but we would have got out. If we never had them and no one did come along, it would have been a very expensive recovery, costing thousands of dollar.

From past experience, recoveries would cost $1.50 per kilometre both ways from where the recovery vehicle came from, plus $150 per hour from the time they left. So adding all that up you can see why some peoples recoveries are from $4000 and up. So for the price of under $300 for the MaxTrax, they do make the self recover a very cheap piece of insurance, and you them have them for the next recovery......not that you ever want that to happen.

Cheers

Stephen
Smile like a Crocodile

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 717691

Reply By: Member - Dunworkin (WA) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:07

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:07
We have a set of Xtrax, haven't had to use them yet. As I recall they weren't much cheaper than the Max Tacks but are more compact and were easier to fit on the roof rack.


Simba, our much missed baby.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 445295

Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:41

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 15:41
I carry a pair of MaxTrax at all times. Not yet needed them on my own Troopy but used them a successfully a couple of times on other vehicles on Fraser. One guy used too much power and ripped a bit off the lugs, but not serious.
I have mine wrapped in a piece of cheap blue plastic tarp on the roof-rack so as to not advertise them!

As Motherhen suggested, attach some coloured rope as they tend to get buried. In fact it can be a good idea to tie the other end of the ropes to the towbar so you don't have to hike back to recover them.

Cheers
Allan

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Classifieds: FREE BOOKS

AnswerID: 445298

Reply By: wizzer73 - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:17

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:17
I haven't seen them used in the mud but on the beach they are fantastic. My mate had a pair which we used everytime we went out so I bought a pair too. Murphys law, haven't needed them yet.

wizzer
AnswerID: 445302

Reply By: Wilko - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:31

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 16:31
Hi Dawg13,

Ive got a set and they work well. They do have their limitations though. I was bogged last winter in what can only be described as having the consistency of melted ice cream and I couldnt get enough purchase to get the diffs out of the mud. I did get out eventually but only after using the highlift jack as well.

As MH said ensure that you tie a rope to them for easier recovery.

Cheers Wilko
AnswerID: 445303

Reply By: Crackles - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:14

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:14
There are a few situations where a pair of Maxtrax can speed up a recovery but really you must remember that they weren't around 10 years ago & somehow 4 wheel drivers still got by without spending the extra $300. People travelling solo, have poor tyres or low slung vehicles can benefit but in a group (despite many people carrying them) we have always recovered vehicles faster without them with simple measures like ajusting tyre pressures, a little shovel work or some track rebuilding.
Whether or not you need them will depend on your vehicle, driver skill & where you go but I suppose the question needs to be asked, how do many of the experienced members here without them get on despite touring the most remote areas of Oz?
Cheers Craig.................
AnswerID: 445317

Reply By: Member - Vern - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:55

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 18:55
Good day Dawg13

l have a set of maxtrax purchased about 1yr ago and not used till we went to Little Dip national park in SA south East last week. We did a trip along the beach from Robe to Beachport in my Pathfinder. The maxtrax where used to get a Patrol of the beach and I was absolutely shock on how good they where. l would recommend them to anyone.

AnswerID: 445322

Reply By: Member - Wayne D (NSW) - Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 22:17

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 at 22:17
I have used Maxtrax in recovery in both sand and mud and on both occassions they worked really well. In the mud situation they were used on 5 vehicles. We actually broke one and they were replaced, no questions asked.
Both these times were used in training trips and saved a lot of time. Unfortunately in the mud situation we had 1" of rain while driving the track and it turned to slush, the Maxtrax were not the only thing we neeeded to use to get out, but they did provide assistance in a couple of situations.
I carry a set but have not had to use them, just good insurance if you are on your own or want an "easy way out"
AnswerID: 445356

Reply By: geocacher (djcache) - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 00:19

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 00:19
I noted when I was stuck at Mt Dare for 8 days in October that Dave from Mt Dare doesn't go anywhere up there without 2 sets of Maxtrax. That said, when we got stuck on the track out to the Dalhousie turn off, two sets of Max tracks, stuff all psi in the tyres & a lot of shovel work & swearing still didn't get us out.

I think they are an investment I'll make as I often travel without support vehicles so they are another tool in the recovery arsenal but like anything, they aren't the only solution, nor on somedays the one that will work.

The most successful recovery solution is still a cuppa.

Make a cuppa, sit down and take stock and plan, and then when finished put your now well considered plan into action.

Generally the hasty panicked option is not the best one.

Dave

PS. Not trying to teach you to suck eggs. You sound like you know what you are doing. Lots of others with less experience researching Maxtracks will read this too in coming years.
AnswerID: 445363

Reply By: silkwood - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 19:31

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 19:31
Has anybody used (as opposed to just having an opinion on) the Pillow Tracks? Despite the "Li-Lo" comments they seem like they may be a little more usable in more situations than the MaxTracks. I want to get one or the other.

Cheers,

Mark
AnswerID: 445432

Sponsored Links